VMFP-3 80s Flashback

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Marine Corps Aviation Recon Association
By Marc "Devil Dog Of The Web" Iseli / Updated Dec. 2025
Back in 2009, I had a brain fart and tried to plan a VMFP-3 reunion at MCAS Cherry Point. I reached out to a few VMCJ vets still hanging around the area, and some actually volunteered to help, miracles do happen. Most of us were part of the Marine Corps Aviation Recon Association, myself included. Col. Wayne “Flash” Whitten, the president, called me up and we decided to hold a CJ reunion on the same weekend as the Cherry Point airshow. I thought it would be a good idea to scope out the area and rub elbows with the old salys. Met up with Flash the Friday before, and he managed to sneak me onto base before the crowds rolled in. Walking the flight line, I nearly had to pick my jaw up off the deck, there was a freshly painted RF-4B Phantom in VMCJ-2 colors, ready for show-and-tell. They were fixing up the O-club, and the plan was to park the jet out front when they finished. If you want to see the bird, check out my Walkaround page. >Here.

The weekend was solid, good to swap stories with the CJ crew and see some old faces. Back in the day, the old CJ-2 salts slapped the Playboy bunny on the RF-4B tail, probably just to see if the brass would notice. Not to be outdone, the P-3 crew raided the smut stash and picked the fox head, because nothing says 'tactical reconnaissance' like a nod to questionable reading material. Of course, life has a way of kicking you in the teeth right after you start having fun. The housing market tanked, banks imploded, and for the first time in three decades, I got handed a pink slip. Lost the house in Myrtle Beach, lost the savings, and had to pack up and start over back home. The RF-4B Phantom II Society website? That went down with the ship too, and I know I let some P-3 vets down. Add in a few health curveballs and family hits, and it’s been a long crawl back. But here I am, still standing, I Improved, Adapted, and Overcame. Semper Fi.
Visit My Photo Album
Photos of 2009 MCARA reunion, MCAS, Cherry Point.

Future VMFP-3 reunion posts
By Marc "Devil Dog Of The Web" Iseli / Updated Dec. 2025
Big salute to the hard-charging devil dogs who managed to herd the cats and pull off a reunion without anyone getting arrested (that we know of). If you’re plotting another gathering or have photographic evidence and sea stories from one that actually happened, fire them over to the email below. I’ll slap it up here for all to see, provided the nation doesn’t go full DEFCON-1 again. Carry on.

Alright, you glorious Rat Phixers and Phlyers, if we ever survived a TAD, a Det, or a BOHICA, who haven't, and you didn’t think I was the biggest gaff off in the squadron. Got a sea story, or some grainy photos your ex didn’t set on fire, and they’re only slightly illegal? Send ‘em by email, snail mail, or safety wire it to a carrier pigeon. I collect ‘em all, just nothing that would incriminate me.
80svmfp3@gmail.com

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